The Question We Didn't Know We Needed to Ask
It's December, which means everyone's busy thinking about the big questions: what to buy, where to go, who's hosting dinner. But here's one that crossed our desk this week: what size shoes does Santa actually wear?
Ridiculous? Maybe. But stick with us — because unpacking this seemingly silly question reveals exactly why shoe sizing is one of the trickiest challenges in e-commerce. And if you're selling shoes online, Santa might just be your worst nightmare customer.
Working It Out: Santa's Probable Shoe Size
Let's start with what we know. The common depiction of Santa Claus puts him somewhere around 5'7" to 6'0" tall, with a stocky build. That's not particularly tall by modern standards, but height gives us a starting point.
There's a rough relationship between height and foot length. On average, foot length is about 15% of a person's height. For someone who's 5'10" (178 cm), that suggests a foot length of around 26–27 cm — somewhere in the ballpark of a UK size 9 or US size 10.
But here's where it gets interesting. Santa isn't just standing around. He's carrying a sack of presents. He's climbing chimneys. He's walking on icy rooftops in the middle of winter. Those factors change everything.
Why Santa Would Almost Certainly Need a Wide Fit
Santa's job involves serious physical demands. He's not a light traveller — even a modest haul of toys adds significant weight. That extra load doesn't just strain his back; it compresses his feet with every step, spreading them wider and flattening the arch.
Add to that the cold-weather conditions. When you're working outdoors in freezing temperatures, your footwear needs to accommodate:
- Thicker socks for insulation (sometimes multiple layers)
- Room for natural foot swell caused by long hours of activity
- Extra space to maintain circulation and avoid frostbite
A snug-fitting boot in a shop would feel painfully tight after a few hours in the field. Santa would know this. He'd almost certainly opt for a wider fit — probably an EE or even EEE width. And if he ordered online without proper guidance, he'd likely face the same problem millions of shoppers do every year: the size chart says one thing, but the real-world fit says another.
The Punchline: Santa Is a Sizing Nightmare
Here's the thing: Santa represents the exact kind of customer that traditional sizing systems struggle with.
He's not average height. He carries extra weight. He needs cold-weather footwear with extra room. He's active, so his feet swell during use. And he can't just pop into a shop to try things on — he's too busy, and frankly, not every retailer stocks his width.
So what does he do? The same thing your customers do when they're unsure:
- Order multiple sizes and return what doesn't fit
- Stick to the same brand forever (even if it's not perfect)
- Avoid buying altogether and make do with ill-fitting boots
For an online shoe retailer, that's three bad outcomes. Returns eat into margins. Brand loyalty is great until the customer finds a competitor with better sizing tools. And hesitation at checkout? That's just lost revenue.
Why This Matters for Shoe E-Commerce
Santa's sizing challenge isn't unique — it's universal. Every day, thousands of shoppers visit your site unsure whether a size 9 will fit like their usual 9, or if they need an 8.5, or if they should go wide instead of standard.
The problem isn't that customers don't know their size. It's that sizing isn't consistent. A size 9 in one brand fits like an 8.5 in another. Width is often ignored entirely. Cold-weather boots fit differently than summer sandals. And static size charts can't account for the fact that feet change shape depending on activity, temperature, and load.
This isn't a small problem. Fit-related returns cost the footwear industry billions every year. Customers abandon carts because they're not confident the shoes will fit. And even when they do buy, a poor fit leads to disappointed customers who won't come back.
The challenge is confidence. If a customer isn't confident the shoe will fit, they hesitate. If they buy and it doesn't fit, they return it. Either way, you lose.
Getting It Right, Every Time
This is where accurate, intelligent sizing makes all the difference.
What if, instead of guessing, your customers could get a precise size recommendation based on their actual foot dimensions — not just length, but width, arch, and shape? What if that recommendation accounted for the specific shoe they're looking at, not just a generic chart?
That's what onefit.ai does. By using real measurements and AI-driven insights, we help online retailers give their customers the confidence to buy — knowing the shoes will fit the first time.
No more guesswork. No more bracketing orders. No more returns because the width was off or the fit didn't match expectations.
For Santa, that would mean ordering a size 10 EE and knowing it'll handle the weight, the cold, and the miles of rooftop walking. For your customers, it means the same confidence — and for you, it means more conversions, fewer returns, and happier shoppers.
The Bigger Picture
So, what is Santa's shoe size? Probably a UK 10 or US 11, wide fit. But the real answer is this: it depends.
It depends on the brand, the style, the materials, and how the shoe is meant to be used. That's exactly why shoe sizing is so hard to get right — and exactly why solving it matters.
If you're selling shoes online, the Santa test is a good one: could your sizing system confidently recommend the right fit for someone who's not quite average, who needs a specific width, and who's going to put those shoes to serious use?
If the answer's no, you're not alone. But the good news is, there's a better way.
Because whether it's Santa or your next customer, getting the fit right isn't just good service — it's good business.
Want to solve sizing for your customers?
Visit onefit.ai to see how our AI-powered sizing tool helps footwear retailers increase confidence, reduce returns, and deliver the perfect fit every time.